Spanberger, Rice Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Law Enforcement Officer Compensation & Hiring

Statement

U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Tom Rice (R-SC-07) today introduced the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on the Beat Program Reauthorization and Parity Act to help increase police officer pay and to assist local police departments with the hiring of additional officers.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation's state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. The COPS Office also awards federal grants for local police departments to hire community policing professionals, develop and test innovative policing strategies, and provide training and technical assistance to local residents, government leaders, and all levels of law enforcement. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to help advance community policing.

Spanberger's COPS on the Beat Program Reauthorization and Parity Act would reauthorize the COPS on the Beat Grant Program for the next 10 years, expand access to COPS Grants within rural communities, allows for COPS grants to be used to increase wages for officers in low-income communities, and creates a stand-alone COPS office within the U.S. Department of Justice. In fiscal year 2021 (FY21), the COPS on the Beat Program was appropriated $386 million. In response to high demand for this funding, the bipartisan legislation increases funding to more than $1,047,119,000 in FY22 -- nearly triple the FY21 amount.

"During the pandemic, Virginia's police officers -- particularly those in rural areas -- readily took on roles and responsibilities far outside their job descriptions. In recent conversations with the Seventh District's police departments, I consistently hear about the pressing need to retain these dedicated public servants and to recruit additional officers," said Spanberger. "Many Virginia police departments rely on the COPS Program to make sure their officers are well-trained, receive competitive pay, and stay on the force -- and our bipartisan bill would strengthen federal support for this vital community policing initiative. As a former federal law enforcement officer, I am proud to introduce legislation that can both protect our neighbors and strengthen relationships between our officers and the Virginia communities they serve. I would also like to thank Congressman Rice for his partnership and leadership on this critical issue."

"Police officers keep all kinds of communities safe, but those in rural and low-income communities often face barriers to doing their jobs effectively and efficiently. I've met with law enforcement officers in all eight counties of the 7th District to hear how we can make our law enforcement programs work better for communities in South Carolina and across the Nation," said Rice. "The COPS on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act will ensure all communities are well staffed with officers who can meet the needs of the community, are trained properly, and paid a fair wage. I'm proud that this bill nearly triples the appropriation amount from last year for this program and it provides more funding than this program has been appropriated in a decade. We can't merely talk about the need for improving law enforcement relations, budgets, and trainings. This legislation delivers on those calls for thoughtful and targeted solutions."

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